In loving memory
by CrazyCharlette-Real Reloaded
Summary: Two people go to visit a certain someone's grave.


**Kishimoto owns Naruto. I own Mitsume.**

**Sasuke may be a bit OOC in this...how he is depicted as is up to you.**

* * *

He blinked, before walking forwards and placing a gentle hand on the older female's shoulder. The woman jumped slightly, before shifting to view the stranger's face. After a few seconds passed, she relaxed and returned to gazing solemnly at the ocean, watching the orange-gold sun slowly sink.

"Today commemorates the anniversary," he murmured, feeling the sea breeze lightly caress his face. "You know...since Itachi..."

"Passed away," Mitsume whispered, her left arm rising to wrap around the boy's waist. "Yes, Sasuke...you know we both remember."

He closed his eyes, before gently tugging on her arm. "C'mon. It's nearly sunset; you know that was his favourite time of the day."

She chuckled, before turning and slightly smiling at him. "You know that sometimes you act like the elder brother, Sasuke..."

His eyes opened, and onyx met bistre. Tentatively tugging her arm again, she allowed him to guide her to the black convertible parked nearby, a good way from the cliff. Getting into it and buckling up, the car glided through the trees, the sound of the wheels on the asphalt and the purring engine echoing through the evening. To help lessen the silence, Sasuke flicked on the radio, and a few seconds later, some music began blaring out of the speakers.

"'Burn It Down'," Mitsume stated, eyes transfixed on the road. "Itachi loved that song. He would always turn it up whenever it was on, and we eventually got sick of it, but seeing him sing along to the lyrics was always entertaining..."

She trailed off, leaving the lyrics of the song to weave themselves through the air. They both contented themselves with memories, flashing through their minds and committing themselves to memory.

* * *

They reached the cemetery, pulling up in the car park. Disembarking, they opened the heavy iron gates before seeing a murder of crows suddenly fly away. They halted, looking at the birds.

"I guess even they have come to pay their respects to him," Sasuke muttered, starting to walk again. Mitsume followed, and they wove their way through the maze of intricate tombstones and trees. The wind whistled through the trees, ghostly fingers touching the leaves and trailing away.

Reaching the onyx headstone carved in a tomoe shape, they knelt and rummaged in the basket she had bought along and withdrew a small thermos, three cups and a plate of dango and onigiri covered in cling wrap. Setting them down on the headstone, Sasuke peeled off the cling wrap while his sister poured some hot green tea. Lifting a cup each, they sat on the lush grass and tucked their legs in.

"Hey Itachi...how are things? Down here is alright. Suzume and Deidara recovered from mourning a good while ago, but we're still careful not to mention Sasori around them...you know that they loved him dearly. Kakuzu and Hidan are still at each other's throats, but their fights have turned into lovers' tiffs." Mitsume quietly snickered, before resuming her speech. "Kisame already came here, but I'm sure you know that already. He has the world swimming championships to attend in Kiri. Zetsu's still got the schizophrenia going on, but he doesn't want any treatment. Says he now has the twin he always wanted. Tobi's...well, you know, Tobi, but he's going hard at staying cheerful. I really like the kid, you know? Life would be so dull without him... Oh, Pain and Konan have finally established a business, now. They're starting as a small business for now, and when they stabilize, plans for becoming one of the world's top industry will come into action. You should've been there when they received the letter; it was nothing except celebration. Deidara got smashed at the party and we taped him hitting on Hidan and pole dancing. It got more than a thousand hits on YouTube, and we have blackmail for him at the ready. He's still touchy on the subject; claims that it's hereditary. 'Course, Suzume's underage by one year, and the poor girl was begging us for a sip...Sasuke had the nerve to drink in her face."

Here, Sasuke picked it up. "It was worth it, though. That look on her face when I downed the vodka was priceless. She looked like a lovesick college girl who had been rejected by-ACK!"

The sudden outcry that had interrupted him mid-sentence was courtesy of the unnoticed crow that was perched on his shoulder suddenly cawing loudly, before flying away. The Uchiha male grumbled, shaking his head like a wet dog to rid himself of the feathers that drifted about.

"I get the fact you probably don't want me bragging about my liquor life, but take a break, huh?" he muttered, scratching his shoulder. "Anyway, I'm graduating soon...I wish you were here, Aniki. I'm sorry about the things I said to you..." His voice cracked ever so slightly as his head hung. "It was probably the hardest thing for you to ever endure, and I only wish that-"

"Enough with the emo talk, Sasuke," Mitsume briskly said, cutting him off. He looked visibly annoyed, before raising his cup. She mimicked him.

"Bottoms up."

The siblings drank, downing the tea in several gulps. Taking the cup for Itachi and splashing the contents all over the tombstone, Sasuke set it down on the cold onyx with a _click_. He glanced at the sun and then his watch. 6:12 pm. That was alright.

Eating the dango and onigiri, silence settled over them like a warm, comforting blanket. The summer breeze flowed through the cemetery, whisking away their sorrows as they felt the etheral presence of Itachi make himself comfortable between them, seemingly nab a few sticks of dango and several onigiri and proceed to munch away. Of course, that never happened, but their mind's eye pictured this with such clarity and realism that it was hard not to imagine it.

When they had finished, they cleaned up before standing and gazing sadly at the grave. Minutes passed before a salty tear made its journey down Mitsume's cheeks. Another few seconds before she burst into tears and clutched Sasuke, burying her head in his shoulder and quietly weeping. Even though he was two years younger than her, he had shot up over the years and he now stood at 177 centimetres, two more than his sister. It wasn't much, but he took pride in it.

Eventually, he felt a hot pricking at the back of his eyes, and he let them fall. The droplets fell onto the stone, and the sun gave them golden glints. Wrapping his arms around Mitsume, he hugged her, before staring at the tombstone and whispering, "We love you, Itachi."

* * *

_**In loving memory of Itachi Uchiha**_

_**Died from leukaemia and tuberculosis at the age of 21**_

_**1988-2009**_

_****__**A great, respected, revered, devoted, powerful and loving man**_

_****__****__**"**__You never have to forgive me. No matter what happens to you from here on out, I will always love you."_

_**R.I.P**_


End file.
